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Post-Friday News Wrap-Up 2 March 2012

A wild Post-Friday News Wrap-Up appears... whether or not it's effective probably depends on your type. Why a Monday news piece? Well I had the (mis)fortune of turning 30 this weekend and things kind of got out of hand a little earlier than expected. Needless to say this shouldn't be something that affects our viewers, so here I am with the Post-Friday News Wrap-Up for the 2nd of March, 2012.

So if you happen to have missed out on the Vocaloid phenomena, don't feel too weirded out as it's not likely to have traveled most nerdy circles unless you have a local weeaboo or similar otaku friend to explain the majesty that is a synthesized pop-star. SEGA has managed to sneak on a rhythm game based on popular singer Miku and unfortunately the gameplay itself revolves around knowing how to read Japanese characters in order to swipe the correct one in time with the music. Another reason this might just be for fans only is the price bracket as it weighs in at around USD$15 and it's unlikely to get a Western adaption.

Shin Megami Tensei Now Available

Sticking to all things Japanese, Shine Megami Tensei, the classic role playing game from Atlus has made its way on to the App Store and is available for a cool US$13.99. You think that's a set back? Then you might be taken further back by its somewhat chunky interface that's entirely in Japanese. It might take a truly hardcore fan to get the most out of this title, but for what it's worth at least it looks legitimate and not like an unauthorized clone.

Empire of the Eclipse Submitted

I won't lie, I'm a little excited - 4X games seem to have an unholy power over me that makes me want to drop everything and learn every last detail about how the game works. This is especially weird considering how notoriously terrible I am at them (at least from a hardcore player's standpoint), so it's no surprise that when Zarksoft announced that their upcoming MMO strategy title Empire of the Eclipse has been submitted, I did a little jig. What's extra-special about this title is just how long it has taken and the developer's dedication to ensuring their release is as tweaked as possible... with any luck it will be the hit it deserves to be with its intended niche audience! Tutorial videos are available on their YouTube channel if you'd like more of a sneak-peek.

Storm Strikers - New SHMUP From Sunny Tam

While I find that the iOS platform has seemingly become the new home for hardcore shooters, it's nice to know that quality developers are behind these efforts, with Danmaku Unlimited's Sunny Tam having submitted yet another title, Storm Strikers. The game is looking incredible and like all great titles in the genre, dangerous and skilled play is rewarded as players are encouraged to kill enemies at close range for bonuses. With a kicking soundtrack from Blankfield, multiple game modes and unlockable fighters, this is looking like a great pick for shooter fans. The developer is crossing hoping for a March 8th release date.

Limbo on iOS?

This is more rumor and less fact at this stage as Limbo developer Playdead has listed jobs for helping to port over games to platforms including iOS, Windows 8 and Android. Given that Limbo is all they have on offer so far, it's a good bet we may eventually see a release of the creepy platformer some time in the future.

Hunger Games: Girl On Fire Teaser Images

There's not much to say here other than the game is looking every bit like what the developers said it would look like given that it's meant to be a runner-meets-shooter style of game. Website Touch Arcade managed to scoop some details on their forums including a small bit of info that suggests this game is towards the beginning of the series (though this may keep it open as a transition title). We'll keep an eye on this Indie-collaborated title as it continues to develop.

This week is a little unorthodox when it comes to Game of the Week as we've been inundated not only with great games, but at least one late review that has highlighted a really amazing release. Though, in keeping with the original spirit of things, Aaaa!!! (Force = Mass x Acceleration) is my personal pick of the week's newer releases - its quite possible my other pick for the week, Fancy Pants could have taken the top prize, but apparently there are some continuing bugs preventing it from being the solid release it could be. Lastly, those who missed out on Beat Hazard Ultra should do themselves a favor and check out this title - due to our late review it seems unfair not to give it the proper recognition it deserves and those after a quality twin-stick title should pick this eye-warping title up.

For those hankering for our Top 3 picks for February, hold on to your shirts because I'll have something just for you ready this coming Wednesday. As mentioned earlier, I recently had my 30th birthday over the weekend and I'm still suffering a bit of whiplash from the series of events - needless to say fun was had! If you happen to be feeling charitable I'll leave my email down below for those who'd like to kick in a small gift via Paypal. This time around I don't have to say 'have a great weekend!', so I'll have more reviews up for you tomorrow!